The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-04-21
HOMICIDES.

be on the increase Very little regard
seems to be had in some localities for
human life. Men get into disputes
about matters more Or less trivial, and |
these disputes end with a sacrifice of
human life. The increase Of homi- .
cides is alarming, and demands serious
attention. The question naturally
arises. what is the cause Of this? 4
large. percentage Of the homiCides is no
doubt caused by the too free use OF
.:lightning" whiskey and the too com
mon practice of the cowardly, vicious
| habit Of carrying concealed weapons,
notable the ready pistol There IS 10
habit that is INDUCED in, in this coun-
try, for which there is less excuse than
that Of carrying concealed weapons.
1t is despicable and dangerous for any
man to be carrying loaded pistol III
his hip pocket, ready to be jerked out
on the slightest provocation, without
| excuse, and used to take the life Of
| fellowman. This habit cannot be con
demned too strongly when it is in
dulged in by sober men, and how
much more IS the danger of this habit
increased when whiskeY is added TO j..
We are 10 fanatic on this subject
but appreciate, perhaps, the evil
wrought by pistols and whiskcy, IS
much as anyone. But this is not all.
There are other causes still, for the
number Of homicIdes that are daily oc-
curing in this country. One promi
nent cause of so many homicides has
been the refusal Of juries to convict tie
guilty, and the consequent failure Of
the courts to punish them. There
have been too many escapes from pun
iahment through legal technicalities,
tritling and false pleas Of defense and
, the mawkiah sentiment that has per
vadcd the jury box. TOO many men
have been allowed to so free for slay-
ing their tellowman On the false and
shallow ground of emotional or tenn
porary insanity, heat Of passion, cx
element, etc. We do not say that a
man ought never to be acquitted on
such grounds, but we do say that the
plea-especially insanity-is too COM
mon.
A great change is needed right here
: Let no man who takes the life of an
other be acquitted, except upon good
and just grounds Of defense, y refor-
nation in the conduct of criminal
trials, such as these, is sorcly needed,
but the greatest need of all is radical
change of sentiment in the jury-box.
Human life is too sacred a thing to be
allowed to lie made a plaything of.
When the chances Of escape from the
penalties Of the law are so great, men
become emboldened to commit deeds
OfyiOlenCe, blOodshcd and murder wko
would under a different state of things,
| be restrained.
But this is not all. There is vet an
other cause for SO many homiCides that
perhaps, is little thought of, but one
sad to contemplate, and the influence
of which cannot be estimated This
cause is the lack of religious primo
piles, brought about by a neglect of the
religious opportunities and privileges
everywhere afforded throughout tie
land. 1t is said that in the region Of
Kentucky, where rioting, bloodshed
and murder have held high carnival
for months past, there is not Christian
church. This is not the case IN North
Carolina, but homicides are alarmingly
frequent in the State There are mum
bers Of people right in this county Of
Vance, who live within easy access to
church, but who never go from one
years end to another, except it be on
some extra occasion. There are others
who attend SO seldom that they derive
no benefit from church privileges.
They congregate at different houses in
the neighborhood, and their children
roam at large on the Sabbath-day.
Where there is such neglect of religious
opportunities and privileges, it is.
bound to follow, as night the day, that
the tone of the character of the people
is lowered, regard for sacred things is
lost, and human life itself, in time.
comes to be regarded as of little value.
We have given above what we regard
as the three principal causes OF 50
many homiCides IN the country. 1t is
not pleasant for us to write down such